Pneumatic tire.



No. 736,414. v PATENTED AUG.

P. W. LITGHPIBLD.

PNEUMATIG TIRE. APPLIoATIoN FILED APR. 24, 1902.

No MODEL.

No. irea-114.

Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE. i

PAUL W. LITOHFIELD, OF AKRON, OI-IIO.

PNEUMATIC `TIRE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,414, dated August 18,1903.

Application filed April 24:, 1902. Serial No. @4.544. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ whom it map/concern..-

Be it known that I, PAUL W. LITCHFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county'of Summit and State of Ohio, have iuventeda new and useful Pneumatic Tire;` and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic tires; and the object is to p rovide an improved construction of pneumatictire of the type known as single-tube tires, which may be readily attached to and removed from the rim of the Wheel and When removed may be opened about a portion of or its entire inner periphery, but when in posirtion on the rim Will be absolutely air-tight.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and clearly illustrated Vbythe accompanying drawings, in

Which- Figure l is aside elevation of a portion of a rim with my improved tire attached thereto Fig. 2, a transverse sectional View of the same, and Fig. 3 a similar view ofthe tire removed fromthe rim and opened at its inner periphery.

Pneumatic tires as now constructed may be dividedinto two classes, to Wit: First, the single-tube tire, consisting of an annular casing and an inner air-holding chamber, the walls of which are vulcanized to the casing. In this tire the only access to the air-cha mber is through the valve. Second, the doubletube tire, which4 consists of an outer casing or shoe and a separate inner tube for holding the air. In my present invention I provide a detachi able tire in which the casing or shoe and the air-holding material are united in one piece eitherjby cementing or vulcanizing the two together, and so construct the tire that it may be opened, about a portion of or its entire inner periphery when removed from the rim, but at the same time capable when in position upon said rim of being made air-tight by mechanical compression.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designatesV the outer wearingsurface of the tire, formed, preferably, ot rubber; B, the inner lining, also of rubber or other suitable air-proof material, and O a layer offabric interposed between the inner and outer layers A and B, all three layers being united Vof the rim, so that it is greatly compressed when the means hereinafter described is applied, and consequently a tight joint is formed, preventing any escape of air from the interior ot the tire. While I have shown and described base D as having interlocking faces at its cut portion, said faces may be made smooth'and a tight joint still formed.

The rim is provided on its periphery with a fiat metal tire or plate F, forming a seatingsurface for the base of the pneumatic tire, which is positioned thereon and detachably secured to the'rim by flangesor plates G, attached to the respective sides of the rim and projecting beyond the metallic tire F a distance equal to the transverse extent of the base D, said base being confined and compressed therebetween. Said langes are removably secured to the rim by bolts and nuts I-I I, some` of said bolts passing through the rim and others through the enlarged base D of the tire.

It Will beseen that by removing one of the flanges or plates G- the tire may be detached from the rim 4and that Vwhen removed it may be opened about its inner periphery, so that access may be had to the interior thereof. The tire may be so constructed as to be opened about either its entire inner periphery or only a portion thereof, as may be preferred, and means may be employed to secure the tire in position upon the rim and to effect a compression thereof at the joint otherthan that here shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, which consists, broadly, in providing a single-tube pneumatic tire open at a portion of or at its entire inner periphery and means for closing said opening and forming an air-tight joint.

ICO

The tire is provided with a valve J, which ery enlarged to form a base of greater Width may be of any preferred construction and lothan the Width of the rim to which the tire is cated at any desired point. to be applied and having said base out in- Having thus fully described my invention, wardly through the inner wall of the tire and 2o 5 what I claim as new, and desire to secure by having the meeting faces of said cut portion Letters Patent of the United States, isformed with interlocking portions, in combi- 1. Apneumatic tire having its innerperiphnation with securing-flanges attached to the ery enlarged to lform a base of greater width rim on each side of the base of the tire for than the width of the rim to which it is to be compressing said base to form an air-tight z5 1o applied and having said base cut inwardly joint at said cut portions.

through the inner wall of the tire, in combi- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my nation with securing-flanges attached to the signature in the presence of two witnesses. rim on each side of the base of the tirel for PAUL W. LITCIIFIELD. compressing said base to form an air-tight IVitnesses:

15 joint at said cut portion. I-I. C. PARSONS,

2. Apneumatic tirehavingitsinnerperiph- C. L. SMITH. 

